View Full Version : ALE! What is your favourite? What have you been drinking?
I don't know if I have missed an ongoing thread about ales, but if not here is one :) I know we have a fair few ale drinkers so how about sharing some of your favourites or even those you think should be avoided! I'm not a big drinker but I do enjoy a wee tipple every now and then. I drink as much for the flavour as I do for the effect ;)
This thread is mainly inspired by the fact that tonight I have been drinking:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/Muban/bf_bottle_big.jpg
A light coloured medium bodied ale with a low bitterness and a subtle spicy ginger character that gives warmth to drink even when served chilled.
Really rather enjoying this, relatively sweet with just enough bitterness. You can taste that ginger in there too for sure. Definitely an easy drinking ale and I would recommend it, even to those who aren't big ale drinkers.
It's been so long since I drank Fursty Ferret (another Hall and Woodhouse ale) that I would need to buy a few bottles to check :p but I think I like this more.
Dymetrie
05-03-2009, 19:51
Recently I've been drinking quite a bit of Fullers London Pride:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o237/dymetrie/1417.jpg
Known and loved for its distinctive, rounded flavour, London Pride is the award-winning beer for which Fuller’s is most famous. In recent years its popularity has grown to the extent that it is now Britain’s leading premium ale: a welcome fixture in many pubs and off licences around the country, and now winning new friends abroad.
Mrs Dym has even taken a liking to this as well!
Among the others I've been enjoying is Shepherd Neame's Spitfire:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o237/dymetrie/10-1.jpg
Crafted from traditional varieties of English malt, this golden ale combines an underlying depth of maltiness, tinged with a subtle hint of toffee, with the bold citrus and fruity spiciness of Kentish hops, to produce a well-balanced, thirst quenching, popular drink.
It does depend which pub I'm in or which shop I buy bottles from though and there's quite a selection of decent ales I've had recently :)
Could it be that we've found.... the perfect woman?! :D
Ferret and Badger Champion Gold are my two favourites when I can only get to the supermarket. I'm also partial to Innis & Gunn's oak-aged whiskey brew.
Locally I can't get enough of Triple fff's Alton's Pride (GBBF gold medal winner in 2008) and Moondance.
At the GBBF I always seek out the Atlas Latitude as well as the Stonehenge beers. I'm sure there's plenty of others but those are the ones I remember best. I seem to recall one with 'bear' in the name that was very good, and the Titanic ones too.
One to avoid is a rather thick beverage called 'T over A'. So named because it's something like 12.5%, but tastes like ass. I can't remember if it's a stout or what, but it was like drinking molten licorice that had been stirred with a weasel.
snip
great brewery
I like Badger - Golden champion
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/3dc85ed267.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)
A refreshing Premium ale with a light fruity flavour
The light, refreshing character of our award-winning golden ale is distinguished by its subtle elderflower aroma, reminiscent of a summer's evening. Champion is particularly rewarding when served chilled.
Served chilled.
And Newcastle brown. By far my two favourite
Also partial to
Wicwar brewery - bob. My local brewery few miles down the road from my parents
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/5ea6cfcaf9.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)
http://www.wickwarbrewing.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=4
A distinct blend of hops, malt and citrus fruits. The slightly sweet taste turns into a fine, dry bitterness with a lasting finish. Very moreish and an award winning classic ale.
Our brand leader.
Old speckled hen
Bass
I love Fursty Ferret and Badger Gold, esp. draught.
I'm also rather partial to a bottle of Old Tom
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/357372938_1af783d2b3.jpg?v=0
We've got a few breweries around on this island, but most aren't much cop. I have come across this particularly lovely brew though:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3095034211_bb4fee72c1.jpg
Not had a drink in 10 days, bloody annoying.
If in doubt I always fall back to any of the Wychwood ones. Hobgoblin is usually the easiest to find but I did manage to get a couple of Goliaths over xmas which were very enjoyable.
Tesco have a 3 for £4 offer on a few at the moment, unfortunately the one by my work doesn't have many of them. Due to do an internet shop soon - hopefully the offer will still be on :)
Briggykins
05-03-2009, 20:58
A nice pint of Devon's finest Otter Ale:
http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww172/briggykins/otter_ale.jpg
One of the most unfortunately moreish ales I've had the pleasure to imbibe. Perfect for a summer's afternoon drinking session. It's...
...a very well balanced beer that delivers the flavours of quality floor malted barley and finishes with a combination of fruit and some bitterness. Its nose is a balance of malt and fruit.
SidewinderINC
05-03-2009, 21:10
Do trappist beers count?
I'd probably say Westmalle Trappist Dubbel is one of my favourites :D
Can you get me one of those Otter glasses?
I find it very difficult to choose a favourite ale, there are so many different ones that I'll discover something new and my choice will change.
For example, last week I had a bottle of something which I think was called '1847', but I can't quite remember. It was very nice and next time I go to Morrisons I will grab another couple of them.
I do tend to avoid some of the ales which have hit the market in a big time, the commonly known ones such as Old Speckled Hen and Pedigree really don't cut it for me, I just don't enjoy drinking them and I never have.
Old favourites for me are Abbot Ale and the standard Greene King IPA. Abbo is good when one fancies a more flavourful ale and the IPA is a good session beer, especially as I'm fond of a fairly hoppy brew.
Newcastle Brown always goes down a treat.
Courage Directors used to be a superb beer when served properly but very few places seem to know how to keep it these days, I've not had a decent pint of it for years.
Pride and ESB are both great beers.
Tak, you mentioned the Wychwood ales - I quite like Goliath but I've found that their beers are all very similar, it's as though they found a successful recipe and have just tweaked it slightly to produce an ale that is just different enough to be called something else! They're all very obviously from the same brewery. My favourite Wychwood brew is CircleMaster, the organic beer.
I want a nice glass of ale now and we don't have any. Tomorrow :)
Dymetrie
05-03-2009, 21:57
For example, last week I had a bottle of something which I think was called '1847', but I can't quite remember. It was very nice and next time I go to Morrisons I will grab another couple of them.
1698? (http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/beers/index.php?bottle_1698)
Have seen that in Asda but not picked it up to try yet....
Old favourites for me are Abbot Ale and the standard Greene King IPA. Abbo is good when one fancies a more flavourful ale and the IPA is a good session beer, especially as I'm fond of a fairly hoppy brew.
Agree with both Abbot and IPA, certainly go down a treat, and there's a great pub on Tooley Street near London Bridge called The Kings Arms (It's not the one we went to that afternoon after you'd been at the Dr Who thing Feek ;)) which does a very nice pint of IPA as well as a remarkably impressive roast on a Sunday :D
No, it's not that one. I can't even check the empty as it's at MBs!
Dymetrie
05-03-2009, 22:05
No, it's not that one. I can't even check the empty as it's at MBs!
PAGING MB!
PAGING MB!
i'm a big fan of my good friend Pete's beer; www.thebrewcompany.co.uk
well not so much the pale varieties but the stout, porter & bock are amazing!
Other than those, Innis & Gunn or pretty much anything Trappist.
I quite like Speckled Hen but Pedigree wasn't one I'd go out of my way to get again. Newcastle Brown was the first ale I tried and I still enjoy it.
I usually drink Courage Directors when I go to the deco (nice alternativey pub which does several ales on tap).
I've not tried CircleMaster - hunting time methinks :)
Does nobody here drink Lager?
I am not on about Skol or Stella but imported and real British lager, I dont see what the fascination is with ale/stouts
I dont see what the fascination is with ale/stouts
I prefer a drink which isn't full of gas, it's a no brainer really.
Does nobody here drink Lager?
only if i'm somewhere you can get a decent Becks or there isn't any alternative.
This thread has made me thirsty for ale, I'm buying some tomorrow.
SidewinderINC
06-03-2009, 01:17
Does nobody here drink Lager?
I am not on about Skol or Stella but imported and real British lager, I dont see what the fascination is with ale/stouts
About as close as I'll get is Hoegarden/Leffe/KWAK to lagers :p and they're pretty far away still.
Stan_Lite
06-03-2009, 08:11
Like Feek, I tend to change my opinion regarding ales and find it really difficult to pick a favourite.
Certain ales seem to find their way into my supermarket basket on a regular basis though: These include Theakstons Old Peculiar, Greene King IPA, Ruddles County, Old Jock, Innis and Gunn and pretty much any Badger ale.
Edit: About the only lager, so far, that I am happy to drink regularly is Staropramen. I find most lagers tasteless - basically, fizzy water with chemicals added.
Del Lardo
06-03-2009, 09:10
Last night I was mainly drinking Broadside and can report that it gets me tiddly and gives me an interesting hangover.
My favourites are Doom Bar
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/8825/doombarpk7.jpg
Which, awesomely, they sell at a pub right near my mate's house down in Fulham :D
And Skinners Betty Stoggs which I always have when I go home :)
I have beer, currently supping a bottle of McEwans Champion.
McEwan's Champion ale (7.3% abv) recently labelled as McEwan’s No. 1 Champion is an extremely sweet beer with flavours of toffee. The toffee persists into the finish, along with burnt oak. It has a sweet texture, with scents of caramel, malt and oak. A creamy head tops this dark beer.
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/2420/p3230245.jpg (http://img49.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p3230245.jpg)
It's slipping down well.
urk, I think that's bloody awful, far too sweet for my liking.
urk, I think that's bloody awful, far too sweet for my liking.
Goes well with chocolate.
Now moved onto Adnams Broadside.
I got very drunk on Broadside just a couple of weeks before Christmas :thumbsup:
I got very drunk on Broadside just a couple of weeks before Christmas :thumbsup:
There used to be an old Dutch barge in Peterborough which they turned into a floating pub, I got mullered on Broadside with my old mate Kev. I don't remember getting home that night but I do remember the kebab.
St.Austell TRIBUTE
or
Hobgoblin :D
Yum! :D
I got mullered on Broadside with my old mate Kev. I don't remember getting home that night but I do remember the kebab.
I'm spotting a theme here. We got to the second pub around half eight and I have no memory of that night at all from some point after that until midnight when I remember standing outside the pub and upchucking onto the floor between my feet. It was icy cold and it froze on the pavement! We had to walk back to the hotel (around two miles) because there was an hours wait for a cab. I'm told that we all had food, I ordered and ate the meal, but I have absolutely no recollection of it whatsoever!
I've never, ever had that sort of memory loss before. Ever :(
I must say I'm partial to one drink that seems to silently 'pal-up' with the ol'memory loss; the dreaded but oh-so-delicious Addlestones.
First stumbled upon in Plymouth when missing the somerset-bumpkin-juice, this cider alternative certainly slipped down well but OH MY GOODNESS I found myself giggley, stumbley and kebab-craving after only a handful of pints! :eek:
Recommended appley goodness but only suitable when you have nothing to do the next morning! :p
Mmmm zoider, I am partial to the Thatchers single varietal ciders.
And remember kids, scrumpy contains cyanide.
Having seen the scrumpy barrells in some of the local pubs I think Cyanide is the least of people's troubles! :p
The singles varieties are indeed tasty - if always rather 'forward' in flavour. Redstreak, Katy, Oak Matured are all quite nice but very fizzy!
My girlfriend's home areas of Langford / Sandford are home to the thatchers brewery where one can turn up with your own containers / barrells / drums / Welly (yes i'm serious)... and fill up for £2.50/gallon! :D But that stuff will make trees turn multicolour and grass develop a sense of humour! :p
My girlfriend's home areas of Langford / Sandford are home to the thatchers brewery where one can turn up with your own containers / barrells / drums / Welly (yes i'm serious)... and fill up for £2.50/gallon! :D
*packs wellies*
And Sandford, isn't that Hot Fuzz territory? ;)
Stan_Lite
10-03-2009, 14:38
The singles varieties are indeed tasty - if always rather 'forward' in flavour. Redstreak, Katy, Oak Matured are all quite nice but very fizzy!
Totally agree. If they did a non-fizzy version of Katy, I'd be over the moon.
Quite partial to the odd drop or several of Old Rosie, when I can lay my hands on it.
*packs wellies*
And Sandford, isn't that Hot Fuzz territory? ;)
Haha don't judge me! :p
Quite partial to the odd drop or several of Old Rosie, when I can lay my hands on it.
Old Rosie is Weston's I believe: lovely natural press cider :D
They also do a very tasty sister variety which I've found as city-wide as oxford! It's called Steamroller and aptly earns it's name.
Jingo: "Two pints of Steamroller please wenchy!"
Bar-Lady: "Be careful boys, this is stronger than you think..."
Brother of Jingo: "Oh hush your noise you lumpy minx, we're from Somerset and know our ciders!"
~wavy lines & a few pints later~
Jingo: "WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" *stumbles across road as fresh air meets intoxicated brain*
The Courage Best is always good in my local and only £1.90. I like a pint of Pride but most of it is horrible in London. Greene King IPA is nice when I see it and a pub near me does Fullers Discovery (http://www.fullers.co.uk/rte.asp?id=49) which is a nice in-between ale.
Adnams Gun Hill 4.0% ABV
This beer can be described as a dark mild. We use a blend of 4 different malts to give a rich dark beer that belies its low ABV. The toffee, chocolate and spicy flavours come from the Chocolate, Crystal and Aromatic malted barleys and the sweetness left from the Tipple malted barley is balanced by the bitterness from the Boadicea hops.
Nice, and every bottle sold Adnams give a donation to some Prostate cancer charity.
8/10 on the Faysh Beer-o-meter
semi-pro waster
11-03-2009, 23:40
My favourites are Doom Bar
[img]http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/8825/doombarpk7.jpg[img]
Which, awesomely, they sell at a pub right near my mate's house down in Fulham :D
That is indeed a rather tasty ale, I've got to admit I only tried it as it was the local brew in Cornwall and was pleasantly surprised, my policy of trying the local drinks can be a bit hit and miss as for every Dooms Bar you can end up with a pint of Molson which is never really to be looked forward to.
Innis and Gunn is quite tasty and Deuchars I'm rather partial to, not least because it is brewed close to home.
I tried a random ale the other day called Punk IPA - stupidly garish label but a decent enough drink and a fair bit of a kick to it. Best of all it was only £1 in Tesco at the time.
FrostedNipple
15-03-2009, 03:46
my favorite ale is probably bombadier burning gold
http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/GALERIA/BEER/UK/BEDFORD/bedford10.gif
Brewed in my home county :)
I may have to revise my opinion of the Wychwood brewery.
Over the past couple of weeks I've tried two of their beers I've not had before, Wychcraft (http://blog.beerintheevening.com/2007/12/13/wychwood-brewery-wychcraft/) and Fiddler's Elbow (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/160/237).
I preferred the former, but both are very slurpable.
Not a fan of Wychcraft myself, doesn't tickle the pallet in a way I find pleasant. Some of their other brews are nice. Quite enjoyed Fiddler's Elbow.
White Wych is nice as is their cider Green Goblin, and Goliath.
Green Goblin Cider is actually thatchers oak matured cider :) Those who care to read the back will see it is casked in Landford/Sandford; just around the corner from me :D
I schlurped a bottle of Hobgoblin last night, mmmmm!
On my travels today I passed Essex Camra Pub of 2009 which is about 2 minute drive away! Anyone fancy a visit? :D
Yes. Which pub, where and when?
Enjoyed a nice bottle of Mac's Blackwatch Cream Porter last night. Great price, lovely porter. Similar to draught Guinness, but from a bottle. Best porter I think I've had from a bottle.
Reviewed it a bit here:
http://www.paulgraydon.co.uk/general/drink-review-macs-blackwatch-cream-porter/
Been enjoying quite a lot of this lately :)
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/3741/homeclimb.jpg*
*little climbing man not included
great brewery
I like Badger - Golden champion
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/3dc85ed267.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)
Drinking this tonight, and whilst it is really rather good.... I still prefer the Blandford Fly. It has that lovely gingery aftertaste. *takes another mouthful of the champion* this stuff will do though :D
http://www.ocukroguesgallery.com/feek/temp/leg-20090324-195306.png
s'quite fruity!
Ahh I have fond memories of Muban helping us get our fruity old leg over in Aberdeen
Ahh I have fond memories of Muban helping us get our fruity old leg over in Aberdeen
If this wasn't in context, I'd demand pics!!
If this wasn't in context, I'd demand pics!!
She took us deep underground into a room with plush furnishings before helping us all together.
Nobody drink Old Peculiar? What about Owd Roger? :(
Drink of choice is still SA gold for me, but not from the bottle. I do quite like the Moondance and Wychwood when I can get it.
She took us deep underground into a room with plush furnishings before helping us all together.
Aaahh yes... what fun :D
The picture in my head is getting better and better!!
Nobody drink Old Peculiar? What about Owd Roger? :(
I don't mind Old Peculiar, used to go to a biker pub in Liverpool that did a mean pint of Theakstons. I think that was before they sold out to ****bread though.
/nostalgia
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